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The God Delusion

A preeminent scientist -- and the world's most prominent atheist -- asserts the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11.

With rigor and wit, Dawkins examines God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry, and abuses children, buttressing his points with historical and contemporary evidence. The God Delusion makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just wrong but potentially deadly. It also offers exhilarating insight into the advantages of atheism to the individual and society, not the least of which is a clearer, truer appreciation of the universe's wonders than any faith could ever muster.

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When the subject of the "anthropic principle" vs the "ontological principle" comes up, I just sigh and screen out the pro and con religious "philosophical" noise. I'm a physicist with a PhD from a top 5 physics school, and almost all of the highly intelligent physicists I have known are agnostics. Speaking of only the very best physicists I have known, none claimed to be atheists, and only a few Christians & Jews have expressed belief in the existence of "A Supreme God" --- if that is the correct expression for their beliefs, which vary from person to person. Most of us just sit back and say "There is no provable evidence that god exists, and there is no provable evidence that god does not exist." That's because science is based upon provable observations, and religion is based upon faith --- and the two are mutually exclusive, and we physicists are philosophically stuck in the middle in "I Don't Know Land'. I'm far more comfortable being a skeptic than a pro or con extremist.

1 Corinthians 15:33 “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for "bad company corrupts good character."

Galatians 5:10 “This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!”
‭‭”I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.”
‭‭

Richard Dawkins is undoubtedly well read and knowledgeable that he turns an incredibly controversial and difficult topic into a relatively easily understood and balanced analysis. One can understand why many dislike his work and positions, but cannot deny he has some strong and supported claims. I highly recommend this book to everyone, including religious individuals who are hostile to his claims.

Like many, I attended Sunday School through my youth. I recall asking more questions during confirmation classes than most of my peers. When I was still in high school, roughly sixty years ago, I read Malinowski’s "Magic, Science, and Religion." This book caused me to ask myself questions about my beliefs.

My introduction to Dawkins was through the "Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing," which Dawkins edited. It is a wonderful collection of great writing in the sciences that was published in 2008. Unfortunately, TCCL does not have this book. I next read "The Selfish Gene," and will probably read more of Dawkins’ works at some point, although biology is not a particular interest of mine. Incidentally, many of Dawkins’ detractors do not seem to understand that he does not believe that genes have personalities. He clearly believes that a scientific approach to the question of God’s existence is a valid exercise. His often dismissive and acerbic tone could make this book unpleasant reading for religious readers.

The only realistic possibility for the existence of God is an old-fashioned idea that has more recently been labeled Intelligent Design. If you cannot imagine reading anything else in this book, at least take time to read the seven or eight pages Dawkins devotes to “irreducible complexity.” Although arguments based on this notion have been made since Darwin’s time, we now possess the knowledge to knock them down. Antony Flew is aware of this aspect of the ID argument, but appeals to a different aspect as the basis for his conversion. But that’s an issue for comment on his book…

"The God Delusion" is really an anti-religion screed, and seems to be an equal opportunity offender as far as I can tell from the comments. Religious folk who believe that morality can’t exist without God, but don’t want to read Dawkins’ arguments about proofs of God’s existence/nonexistence should be willing to read at least the 25-30 pages he uses to discuss “The Roots of Morality: Why Are We Good?”

I listened, or rather, tried to listen to this book on CD, but the holier-than-thou, and smugness of the author and other narrators turned my off so badly that I only listened to 2 cds. Maybe a better book to read rather than listen to.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Dawkins argues in this book that belief in God, despite being a default belief in the much of the world, is an extraordinary claim that has not met the burden of proof required by such a claim.
This, of course, lit off a firestorm of contraversy. But the book is highly readable, as Dawkins is an experienced writer and educator. His experience shows through here, as his book is the most readable of the new atheist wave that hit when this book was published. Definitely worth a read.
Keep in mind every shrill angry attack you hear levelled against this book is proof that Dawkins' arguments are hitting the mark closer than the critic would like to admit.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Dawkins argues in this book that belief in God, despite being a default belief in the much of the world, is an extraordinary claim that has not met the burden of proof required by such a claim.

This, of course, lit off a firestorm of contraversy. But the book is highly readable, as Dawkins is an experienced writer and educator. His experience shows through here, as his book is the most readable of the new atheist wave that hit when this book was published. Definitely worth a read.

Keep in mind every shrill angry attack you hear levelled against this book is proof that Dawkins' arguments are hitting the mark closer than the critic would like to admit.

EuSei
Mar 24, 2016

First of all, the word atheist comes from Greek; it is formed by a (negative) and theos (deity). An atheist is one who denies the existence of God. The belief in the non-existence of God does not make one more rational than one who believes in God. And irrational is the state of one deprived of reason; so it does not automatically mean an atheist is rational and one who believes in God is irrational. If a Christian relies on belief, so do atheists, for atheism is not based upon facts, but on mere belief. No scientist has PROVEN God does not exist. It is simple: one cannot prove a negative. NOTICE: Attempts to censor my comments will be fiercely fought under the aegis of American Libraries’ beloved principles: Freedom of Speech, Freedom to Read, Intellectual Freedom.

Quotes

"Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code, and the film made from it, are arousing huge controversy in church circles. Christians are encouraged to boycott the film and picket cinemas that show it. It is indeed fabricated from start to finish: invented, made-up fiction. In that respect, it is exactly like the gospels. The only difference between The Da Vinci Code and the gospels is that the gospels are ancient fiction while The Da Vinci Code is modern fiction."